546 research outputs found
Probing the potential of Al2CO/SiC heterostructures for visible light-driven photocatalytic water splitting using first-principles strategies
No full textPhotocatalytic water splitting is a sustainable and eco-friendly method for renewable energy production. The development of an efficient photocatalyst based on two-dimensional (2D) heterostructures with suitable band offsets is at the heart of relevant research activities. In this work, we predict a novel 2D heterostructure of Al2CO and SiC based on first-principles calculations of the structural, electronic, optical, interfacial, and photocatalytic mechanisms. The results indicate that AB stacking of the interface is energetically more favorable with a direct band gap of 2.27 eV. The interface exhibits strong covalent interaction, straddling-type band alignment, and suitable redox potentials for water splitting. Owing to their exceptional stability, the findings based on the work function revealed an efficient charge transfer mechanism due to the internal electric field. Furthermore, the optical properties of the structure indicate strong light harvesting ability in visible and ultraviolet regions. The findings suggest that the proposed heterostructure offer suitable band edge positions for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions. The mechanisms of water splitting, hydrogen and oxygen production are examined to explore the prospects of overall water splitting. Three fundamental steps—Volmer, Heyrovsky, and Tafel—are investigated to study the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity. The screening of whole reaction pathways for oxygen production exhibited low theoretical overpotential and enhanced catalytic efficiency. This study demonstrates that the Al2CO/SiC heterostructure is a promising material for overall water splitting in various pH ranges under visible light irradiation
Community-based intervention packages for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality and improving neonatal outcomes
No full textA large proportion of maternal and newborn deaths and diseases can be addressed by developing a community-based approach to improved maternal care during pregnancy, delivery and after delivery, as well as care of the newborn. A systematic review found 27 experimental and non-experimental trials evaluating the health impacts of community-based intervention packages, in which health workers received additional training in maternal and newborn care. Women in areas assigned to receive a community-based intervention package had fewer illnesses and complications during pregnancy and birth, and their babies were more likely to survive. Referrals rates to health facilities for pregnancy-related complications and initiation of breastfeeding within an hour of birth also improved. This review offers encouraging evidence of the value of integrating maternal and newborn care in community settings through a range of strategies, many of which can be packaged effectively for delivery through community health workers.Zohra S. Lassi, Batool A. Haider, Zulfiqar A. Bhutt
Daily contact with a patient and poor housing affordability as determinants of pulmonary tuberculosis in urban Pakistan
No full textAbstractObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) among individuals aged 15years or more in urban Karachi, Pakistan.Design and settingA case–control design was implemented in three major tertiary-care hospitals to select cases (n=342) with active pulmonary TB (i.e. two sputum smears positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis with clinical and radiographic evidence of current pulmonary TB and diagnosed between August 2002 and October 2003. Selected controls (n=342) were surgery patients from the same hospitals at time of recruitment of the cases, without clinical and radiographic evidence of pulmonary TB.ResultsMultivariable logistic regression model showed that daily contact with a pulmonary TB patient (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj])=5.07; 95% CI: 3.31, 7.78), and poor housing affordability (i.e. rented vs. owned) (ORadj=1.59; 95% CI: 1.13, 2.26) were significantly associated with pulmonary TB status. The overall adjusted summary population attributable risk (%) for both the risk factors together was 38.7.ConclusionReaching out to underprivileged TB patients for delivery of DOTS and focused education of patients and their contacts about M. tuberculosis transmission mode may substantially minimize pulmonary TB risk in this and similar settings
R from Zero to Hero (Arabic)
No full textThis is a course designed by Batool Almarzouq and delivered in JeelAIDM. All Materials are licensed under CC-BY license. CC-BY license means you can re-use, modify and build upon the materials with attribution to the source. The course is delivered over six weeks, with two sessions each week, each lasting two hours.
Week
Session
1
Introduction to R and Open Science
1
Project Management
2
R Markdown
2
GitHub in RStudio
3
Tidydata
3
Tidyverse
4
ggplot2 Part 1
4
ggplot2 Part 2
5
YAML in R Markdown
5
Blogging in R
6
Reproducibility with renv
6
Create your first R package!
The Slides are accompanied by live coding in this GitHub repository associated.The author acknowledges JeelAIDM for making the materials ope
Faisal Javed measures the height and weight of a child at a private school in Karachi.
No full text<p>Photo Courtesy: Haider J Warraich.</p
Children line up for measurements and interviews at a government-run public school in Karachi.
No full text<p>Photo Courtesy: Haider Warraich.</p
Neonatal vitamin A supplementation for the prevention of mortality and morbidity in term neonates in developing countries
No full textBackground:Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health problem in developing countries. Vitamin A supplementation in children greater than six months of age has been found to be beneficial, with no effect of supplementation between one to five months. Supplementation in the neonatal period has been suggested to have an impact by increasing body stores in early infancy.Objectives: To evaluate the role of vitamin A supplementation in term neonates in developing countries with respect to the prevention of mortality and morbidity.Search strategy: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library, May 2010), EMBASE and MEDLINE (1966 to May 2010) via PubMed.Selection criteria: Randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials. Trials with factorial designs were also included.Data collection and analysis: Two review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted the data.Main results: Seven trials (51,446 neonates) were included in this review, with only few trials reporting disaggregated data for term infants. Therefore, we analysed data and presented estimates for term infants (where specified) followed by all infants. Data for term neonates from three studies showed a statistically significant effect on the risk of infant mortality at six months in the vitamin A group compared with the control group (typical risk ratio (RR) 0.82, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.99, I(2) 63%). Analysis of data for all infants from five studies showed a 14% reduction in the risk of infant mortality at six months in neonates supplemented with vitamin A compared to control, this reduction was statistically significant (typical RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.97, I(2) 39%). These findings should be interpreted with caution, however, due to the small number of included studies, wide confidence intervals with upper levels close to the null effect and statistical heterogeneity. Vitamin A supplementation failed to show any significant effect on infant mortality at 12 months of age compared to control (typical rate ratio 1.03, 95% CI 0.87 to 1.23, I(2) 49%). Limited data were available for the outcomes of cause-specific mortality and morbidity, vitamin A deficiency, anaemia and adverse events.Authors\u27 Conclusion: Considering mortality in early infancy being a major contributory cause of overall child mortality for the under five year old group in developing countries, it is critical to obtain sound scientific evidence of the effect of vitamin A supplementation in neonates. Evidence provided in this review does indicate a potential beneficial effect of supplementing neonates with vitamin A at birth for reducing mortality in the first half of infancy. Considering the absence of a clear indication of the biological mechanism and conflicting findings from individual studies in settings with varying levels of maternal vitamin A deficiency and infant mortality, and given four additional ongoing trials with approximately 100,000 neonates being enrolled, we propose a delay in any policy recommendations for neonatal vitamin A supplementation
The effect of therapeutic zinc supplementation among young children with selected infections: A review of the evidence
No full textBackground: Zinc deficiency is now widely recognized as a leading risk factor for morbidity and mortality and is estimated to be responsible for approximately 800,000 excess deaths annually among children under 5 years of age. Objective: To evaluate the impact of zinc supplementation, as an adjunct in the treatment of diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, and tuberculosis in children under 5 years of age. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of electronic databases to identify, randomized, controlled trials on the topic was undertaken in January 2008. Eligible studies identified on search were reviewed by the authors and data extraction was done. Statistical analyses were performed with the use of Review Manager software. Results: Current analysis of the adjunctive therapeutic benefit of zinc in acute diarrhea corroborates existing reviews and provides evidence of reduction in the duration of acute diarrhea by 0.5 day (p = .002) in children under 5 years of age. However, zinc supplementation is found to have no beneficial impact in infants under 6 months of age. A beneficial effect of zinc as an adjunctive treatment is also found in persistent diarrhea, the duration of which is reduced by 0.68 day (p \u3c .0001). Evidence of the benefit of zinc supplementation in pneumonia and malaria is insufficient, whereas no studies are available in children with tuberculosis. Conclusions: The existing literature provides evidence Of a beneficial effect of therapeutic zinc supplementation in the reduction of the duration of acute and persistent diarrhea. However, evidence for its impact on pneumonia, malaria. and tuberculosis in children under 5 years of age is insufficient and needs further evaluation
- …
